Mesoamerica contains many diverse environmental zones, highland plains to lowland jungle. These diverse environmental zones allowed for the development of diverse cultures. The ancient civilizations that inhabited this area influenced civilizations that would develop and take their places. These societies began after the domestication of maize.
The Olmecs were a society that developed after domestication took place. While trade may have been common in Mesoamerica. The Olmecs created longer distance trade routes. They made contact with much of Mesoamerica. These trade routes not only spread goods, but ideas from their society as well. The power of Olmecs chiefs were derived from the managerment of not only long-distance trade, but corvee …show more content…
The first being the ability to produce enough food to support their growing societies. The Aztecs who had a great population had to transform the landscape in order to produce enough food to support the society. The Valley of Mexico was the heartland of the Aztecs, the Valley was swampy with some fresh and some salt water lakes. The fresh water swamps became the perfect place for the construction of chinampas. Chinampas were raised fields that were developed to feed the great population. The chinampas, could produce up to seven crops a a year, while a field could only produce one (Smith,11). The Aztecs also built hillside terraces and irrigation canals within …show more content…
All of the societies believed in multiple gods, who controlled all aspects of life. The main idea of the Aztec religion was the gods sacrificed themselves in order to benefit man kind. The Aztecs then provided the gods with sacrifices in order to give thanks and also to appease them. This is known as a reciprocal relationship of obligation (Smith,197). Autosacrifice, which is human sacrifice and bloodletting were primary rituals in Aztec society. Human sacrifice was also seen in the Inca and Maya society, but not at the scale that was seen within Aztec society. Each society had primary gods, such as the sun god for the Inca and Huitzilopchtil for the Aztecs.
A difference that can be seen between the Inca versus the Maya and Aztecs is the domestication of animals. The Inca had access to llama and alpaca. Beasts of burden were not seen at this time for the Maya and Aztecs. This was also a food source for the Andean people that was not available for many in other societies
The Olmecs were a society that developed after domestication took place. While trade may have been common in Mesoamerica. The Olmecs created longer distance trade routes. They made contact with much of Mesoamerica. These trade routes not only spread goods, but ideas from their society as well. The power of Olmecs chiefs were derived from the managerment of not only long-distance trade, but corvee …show more content…
The first being the ability to produce enough food to support their growing societies. The Aztecs who had a great population had to transform the landscape in order to produce enough food to support the society. The Valley of Mexico was the heartland of the Aztecs, the Valley was swampy with some fresh and some salt water lakes. The fresh water swamps became the perfect place for the construction of chinampas. Chinampas were raised fields that were developed to feed the great population. The chinampas, could produce up to seven crops a a year, while a field could only produce one (Smith,11). The Aztecs also built hillside terraces and irrigation canals within …show more content…
All of the societies believed in multiple gods, who controlled all aspects of life. The main idea of the Aztec religion was the gods sacrificed themselves in order to benefit man kind. The Aztecs then provided the gods with sacrifices in order to give thanks and also to appease them. This is known as a reciprocal relationship of obligation (Smith,197). Autosacrifice, which is human sacrifice and bloodletting were primary rituals in Aztec society. Human sacrifice was also seen in the Inca and Maya society, but not at the scale that was seen within Aztec society. Each society had primary gods, such as the sun god for the Inca and Huitzilopchtil for the Aztecs.
A difference that can be seen between the Inca versus the Maya and Aztecs is the domestication of animals. The Inca had access to llama and alpaca. Beasts of burden were not seen at this time for the Maya and Aztecs. This was also a food source for the Andean people that was not available for many in other societies